Plot and characters
What city does the story take place in?
Venice, Italy
What type of boat does the narrator travel in?
A gondola
What does the word mysterious mean?
Something is difficult to understand or explain
Name one major theme in the story
Love, death, obsession, sacrifice, passion
Why does the narrator become interested in the mysterious stranger?
The stranger behaves mysteriously and performs a dramatic rescue.
What happens to the Marchesa's child at the beginning of the story?
The child falls from a window into the canal.
At what time of day does the opening scene take place?
At midnight
What does the word aghast mean?
Shocked, horrified, or extremely frightened
What does the story suggest about love?
Love can be powerful and overwhelming, but it can also become destructive.
Wby might the stranger risk his life to save the child?
He has a deep emotional connection to the Marchesa.
Who rescues the child from the canal?
A mysterious young man, the stranger
Name one detail that makes the setting mysterious or gloomy.
The dark canals, shadows, nighttime setting or gloomy buildings.
What does melancholy mean?
A feeling of deep sadness
How does the story connect love and death?
The lovers' intense passion is connected to their tragic deaths.
Why is the Marchesa's reaction to the stranger important?
It suggests that they share a deeper emotional connection.
Who is Mentoni?
The Marchesa's husband
How does Poe use the canals and dark buildings to create suspense?
They create a mysterious atmosphere and make the reader feel that something dangerous may happen.
What is a goblet?
A large drinking cup or glass
What might the stranger's luxurious possessions represent?
Wealth, status, beauty or the emptiness of material possessions.
Why does Poe wait until the ending to reveal the full tragedy?
To build suspense and create a shocking ending.
What tragic discovery does the narrator make at the end of the story?
The stranger and the Marchesa are both dead.
How would the story feel different if it took place on a sunny afternoon in a cheerful village?
It would feel less mysterious, frightening and suspenseful.
Why does Poe use elaborate and descriptive language?
To create imagery, communicate emotions and build a Gothic atmosphere
What message might Poe be communicating about extreme passion and devotion?
Extreme passion can become destructive when it takes over a person's ability to think rationally
Was the ending foreshadowed? Give two clues.
Yes. The stranger's gloomy reflections, references to death and the presence of poison help suggest the tragic ending.